Raymond clothing store,
Standish Subway robbed

RAYMOND — The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an armed robbery Tuesday afternoon at a clothing store in Raymond.

Lt. Donald Foss said a man entered Mexicali Blues on Route 302 around 1:30 p.m. Oct. 30 and displayed a knife.

Police said the robber was wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt and jeans. His face was partially concealed by a piece of clothing.

Witnesses told police that they saw the man enter a silver or gray sedan, which had been parked a short distance from the business.

Foss said investigators are looking for anyone who might have recorded the man or his getaway vehicle on video.

The Subway sandwich shop in Standish was robbed on Saturday, Oct. 27, but police are not certain that the two crimes are related.

In the Subway robbery, the man did not display a weapon, but indicated to the clerk that he had a weapon. The worker turned over an undetermined amount of money to the man who fled the store on foot. That investigation is continuing.

Standish town manager
name not released yet

STANDISH — The Town Council has selected its new town manager, but the choice will not be disclosed until the new manager has signed a contract.

“The specifics have been worked out, and the contract is under legal review,” Town Council Chairman Steve Nesbitt said Tuesday.

Once the contract has been signed, the name of the new manager will be made public, but the decision is not official until the council votes on the hiring, which will occur at the Nov. 13 Town Council meeting.

The two finalists for the position are Marian Anderson and Bill Giroux.
Anderson has been the Wiscasset town manager since 2014. She previously was town manager in Richmond and has served in a number of other municipal roles.

Giroux was appointed as interim town manager after the Town Council fired Kris Tucker without cause in July. Giroux was the city manager of Bath for 11 years before stepping down in July 2107.

Golf course housing
project moves forward

NAPLES — A  residential development on the front nine of the now-closed Naples Golf and Country Club is moving forward.

The project, Brandy Pond Crossing, will convert the more than 43 acres into 60,000-square-foot lots along with several common area lots. It will also lengthen the existing Fairway Drive road and install two private docks on Brandy Pond for 17 boats. 

Developer Paul Hollis of Great Lots of Maine said 16 lots currently are available for reservation. These lots can later be purchased and then built on. Although he would not share the number of lots that have been reserved thus far, he said “we are having success.”

He added that the project is in the process of receiving permits from the Department of Environmental Protection, which should take between 30 and 90 days. 

“After that, we will go back before the town for final approval,” Hollis said.

The project received preliminary approval from the Naples Planning Board Sept. 11, after it denied approval Aug. 21. Residents raised concerns about traffic, safety in private swimming areas and water conservation.

Hollis said that abutters have finally accepted that the golf course has closed, which occurred December 2017 after a Board of Directors vote. 

“A lot of people weren’t happy about it. But running a golf course is very very difficult,” he said.

“Everything is going smoothly,” he said.

School volunteer wins
top AARP recognition

BRIDGTON — Resident Edwin Wright is the winner of AARP Maine’s top volunteer award for his work with the Stevens Brook Elementary School food backpack program.

Wright received the 2018 Andrus Award for Community Service, which “recognizes outstanding individuals who are sharing their experience, talents and skills to enrich the lives of others,” AARP said in a news release.

The backpack program provides food to children in need on weekends and during school vacations. 

Elizabeth Shane, school academic leader, said Wright “is the epitome of community service at the local level. He tries to pack food that children can prepare themselves in case an adult is not present to help. He is determined to feed those in need and does not stop even if it comes at a cost to himself. He is selfless.”

Standish home
damaged in fire

STANDISH — The State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating an early morning fire last week that damaged a home in Standish.

Benjamin Haskell, Standish deputy chief of public safety, said firefighters responded to a call around 7:15 a.m. Oct. 25 at a single-story ranch home at 250 Manchester Road.

No one was  injured. Haskell said the kitchen was heavily damaged while other parts of the home had some heat and smoke damage.

Spaghetti dinner
to benefit dog park

Edwin Wright of Bridgton, pictured here with AARP Maine State Director Lori Parham, received the 2018 Andrus Award for Community Service at an Oct. 25 ceremony.